Commissioning Kapchorwa-Kenya road postponed to 2024

The commissioning of the 73-kilometre road that runs from Kapchorwa, through Kween and Bukwo districts in Sebei Sub-region, to Kitale and the Eldoret bypass in Kenya, has been postponed to next year.

The Government of Uganda and the Republic of Kenya partnered to construct the road for easy transportation of people on either side of the country and on the Eastern Slopes of Mount Elgon.

Uganda secured Shs365b from the African Development Bank to construct that (73-kms) road and upgrade the Muyembe-Nakapiripirit Road (92km) at a cost of Shs399b with co-funding from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

Construction is being undertaken by China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd (CSCEC), while the Muyembe-Nakapiripirit Road is being undertaken by Polatyo Construction Company from Turkey.

Works commenced on October 1, 2018 and were to be completed by September 27. However, "due to unavoidable challenges, the contractor asked for more time," Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport, said.

Gen Katumba said the contractors should not be blamed for not delivering the roads within the stipulated time frame because they faced many challenges, including sourcing for materials, rock breaking, theft and vandalism of materials by the locals, heavy rains and the Covid-19 pandemic.

“But come January 2024, the Kapchorwa-Suam-Kenya border post road will be commissioned by both Presidents of Uganda and Kenya,” Gen Katumba said.

Gen Katumba said upon completion, the road is going to transform the two regions economically.

“The contractor is going to deliver for us quality roads that will strengthen the relationship between the two countries in terms of revenue, and transform the people economically, especially the one-stop border post of Suam with Kenya,” Gen Katumba said.

Noteworthy, a good number of Ugandans have homes on the Kenyan side of the border, meaning they come to farm in Uganda, which also happens to be their origin.

According to Gen Katumba, Sebei Sub-region is very productive in agricultural produce despite experiencing several challenges, including transporting goods to markets for decades.

He added: “It is evident that this region is very productive and for all those years, they have been struggling to transport their agricultural products to markets; but now with this project, all these problems are answered.”

Mr Geoffrey Chelogoi, the Kween District LC5 chairperson, said the region is going to develop economically with the ongoing road infrastructural developments. 

According to Mr Chelogoi, people used to suffer transporting their goods to markets, accessing health facilities and schools, especially when it rains and commended the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) for doing a good work.

Such work, he said, includes putting several suspension bridges across the impassable seasonal rivers that has eased movement of goods.

Ms Evelyne Chemutai, the Bukwo District Woman Member of Parliament, says the road has finally connected the Sub-region to the rest of the World, including Kenya, South Sudan, Karamoja region. 

Some people have started constructing good houses along the road.

Mr Benjamin Kitiyo, a medical worker in Bukwo District, said he is relieved by the road, which he says will help in quick service delivery.

Mr Peter Masaba, a businessman, said transportation of goods has become very cheap, unlike the past.

Mr Bernard Welikhe, a businessman who plies along the Kween-Mbale route, said for the past one year, he has experienced changes along the road, including people constructing hotels, and fuel stations, which all point to development.

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